Mortals
by anastasiathegold
Summary: Alec and Jane's mortal life, before they were transformed. AU.
1. Oh Father

One quiet evening.

Dark.

The streetlamp at the end of the street flicker infinitesimally and a couple of shadows lurking outside 24, Huntington place, the house was, without doubt, the smallest in the neighborhood, adorned with several greenery across the front yard.

"Don't make a sound, you!" a harsh girl voice came in, angry at her brother for stepping on a stray twig. The boy rolled his eyes and continue toward the door. "Do you think he's awake?"

"No." her voice came in full of doubt, she bit her lips and continue, slightly quivering from the night's chill "he can't be. Hopefully he's already wasted on the couch"

"I still can't believe he's our father"

"shush it you, you'll wake the neighborhood!"

Them both tiptoeing across the terrace, a small one at it, white wood flooring that's chapped and covered with moss at some part with white frail-looking railing, but it's all dark and the two siblings trying hard not to make a loose flooring creak when they step on them.

"pins" said the boy, hand outstretched toward his sister. Jane fumbled with her pocket looking for it, accidentally dropping a large needle. "sssh" was all her brother can form, himself being slightly shocked by the sound it made against the woven iron mat. With a scowl she open her palm and Alec snatch the pins from her hand.

JANE'S POV

_Sheesh, why do Alec has to make such a fuss? It's just a needle. It's not like Jared's going to wake up over that._ No, he must be too drunk to even wake up if the street was bombed by the Nazis.

It is too quite though, usually the sound of his radio would emanate to the porch, _maybe it's broken again._

She keeps reassuring herself that all is fine, that even if Alec and her went back home late, he wouldn't notice, and hopefully, too sick from hangover tomorrow morning to remember why his foster children was missing last night.

True, her and alec has spent the whole day trying to place jinx and curses to their classmates, one by one. Even though It doesn't really work, them both like to think that it works. At least it gives them slight confidence to walk in the classroom for another day. Secretly knowing that their enemies have been placed with curses and all. Even the slightest disturbance with them would make them satisfied.

Click.

Alec made it, she quickly dismissed her thoughts and stare at the slightly open door in front of her, pushing it slightly, she grabbed her brother's hand, seeking for some comfort. He gruntled. _Nice, brother. It really is time for you to get uncomfortable and annoying._

The room was dark, slight light comes from the next room, where father supposedly be, in his drunken stupor. It smells of cigarette and alcohol, If there's one thing that Jane's sure about of this house, it's that the owner doesn't care too much for decoration or cleanliness.

A quick nudge on her back signaled that her brother's getting impatient. Not daring to make any noises, she tiptoed toward the stairs in the far left corner of the room, trying to control her now uneven breathing.

_It's not that her father would kill them, it's just.._

"Where do you think you two are going?" A figure suddenly appeared in the doorway, obviously drunk, leaning toward the doorframe and on his hand, a half empty brandy bottle. "You two, are waaaay past your curfew, aren't you?" he walked toward them, forcing them to back down against the wall. _Sometimes it's better to stay quiet._

"Of course, ya think the old man J wouldn't care, coming home whenever you feel like it." He smiles in his drunken state and waving the brandy bottle, "well" he take a breath, "THIS IS MY HOME I TELL YA! YOU UNWORTHY LITTLE BASTARDS KNOW NOT OF MY RULES, YOU CAN GET OUT AND FEND FOR YOURSELF" red-faced, he started screaming. _Oh this isn't good._ Her stomach lurched and she saw her brother trembled slightly. It was him who took his beating the last time. The scars and bruises still visible during daylight, now it's just deep shades under the moonlight. His father's crazy eyes dance at the sight. "HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU TO COVER THOSE UP?" he pressed his forefinger to Alec's bruises on his hand. Earning a wince and a muffled whine from the thirteen years old. I look away.

Sometimes it's better not to see what he'd done to her brother. As annoying as he may be, he's the closest to a family. _Her brother, not her 'father'._

He has taken care of her since they were 10, when both of their parents died in a car accident. Then they were placed in an orphanage, Alec took role of protecting her from the kids there who likes to tug and play with her hair, sometimes more hurting than taunting. A year later a newlyweds adopt them. They were pretty, the wife looks amazing while the husband looks caring. Well that was 2 years ago.

The husband was now this man in front of them, huge with beer belly and bald head. His stench is almost unbearable from his work at the fish market. He was covered in dirt and sweat. He smells of cigarette and alcohol from his mouth, the stench swept in everytime he utter a word. In his cheeks there's a lipstick stain, probably from a hooker somewhere. His large hand is chubby and clubbed, usually used to hit them both on the face, hand, arse, everywhere. Usually to hold a piece of rattan stick, all the more hurting.

_It wasn't like this. It shouldn't turn out like this._

She remembered how it's like the first day they stepped into the house. It was quaint, pretty, the sun's streaming through the many windows and the lawn outside is more taken care of than it is now. And then their 'mother' died when she miscarriage. Leaving them with only their father. It was good, at first. Then Jared lost his money in a gamble, and lost most the furniture in the house. And then the war started. Europe isn't in a very good state. And neither is their life.

Pain shot through her scalp, her father has gotten her hair and twist them in his hands, dragging her toward the stairs, her brother, still clasped hands with her also yanked along. He dropped her in the bottom flight of the stairs. Before being able to shriek in pain, pain shot through her wrists, a red mark appear across it. One of the many. Her father has gotten himself a rattan stick and starts hitting them both, first it was her, then her brother get in the way, sacrifice his back to get beaten by their angry father.

_It's easier to run. _She grabbed her brother by his collar and pull him upstairs, father's too drunk to follow us, at least not as fast. Alec jumped almost immediately, but Jared yanked him back down. With a thud, her brother is now writhing on the floor, still getting beat up. "HOW DARE YOU RUNNING! YOU THINK YOU AIN'T DESERVE THIS?" his beating got harder and harder, she could see tears forming on his eyes and her heart ache for his twin. She knows how he stands his punishment to protect her, her unselfish, caring brother.

Taking her chances when Jared lean to the wall, obviously getting slightly dizzy from all the alcohol and the 'exercise', she grabbed him again by his hand and half dragged him upstairs. His ragged breathing fills her ear and she reach out to circle his hand around her neck, knowing that her brother have no more energy to carry himself. She tries to go as fast as possible.

"OY YOU TWO, DON'T THINK I'M DONE!"

She closed her eyes and tries to block the tears, already streaming down her face and quickened her pace. Enter their joined bedroom and lock the door.

Silently placed his brother on the only bed available, a torn and small mattress, thinning from all the use and slightly dirty for no laundry is ever done in this place, she quickly make sure her brother's safe and kiss his forehead. Tears still streaming and she wipe some on his face. Her heart breaks seeing his guardian so broken, so in pain, and her tears broke again knowing she can do nothing about it.

She jumped at the sudden banging on the door "OPEN UP!". Jared. He still isn't satisfied. "NO!" Jane croaked through her now dry throat. "OPEN UP CHILD! THIS IS MY HOUSE! OPEN UP!"

More banging.

More yelling.

More tears.

Alec grunted in pain and she hug her brother. "I love you I love you I love you, I'm sorry" she whispers repeatedly to his ears. Her brother can only hug her back.

* * *

_From writer:_ will be continued, more chapters to come. Hopefully I can do with one everyday. Reviews are appreciated :) xo


	2. The morning isn't as bright

ALEC'S POV

_She was crying right next to me, clutching me to dear life and rocking me back and forth, in a vain way to calm me, and herself, possibly._

I just cannot take the tears, not my sister, she doesn't deserve the old guy's punishment.

_Punishment._

Suddenly I could feel every bones in my body ache, the skin on my back burns like it was on fire, and my joins feels like they've been replaced with sands that even moving them, I wince.

She seems to take notice and ignore our father trying to break the door from outside. Hah, like that would work. Night like this happens at least 3 times a week, whether it's their fault or not. That door has been clinging for its dear life, and theirs. Who knows what'll happen if they can't escape? Probably lying in some murky sewer by now.

"Sssh sssh, it's alright it's alright" Her voice breaks over her cry and she sleeps next to him, hugging him tight like she would never let go "I love you I love you I love you, I'm sorry" she repeats the words like a mantra, whispering them to me that I'm sure would be etched forever in my memory. She's always been the strong one.

"She's worth the pain" somehow I voiced that thought out loud. My voice sounds croaky. I managed to hold the tears but I couldn't exactly stop my screams. "What?" Jane doesn't catch that. I just turned around and give her a kiss on her forehead, urging her to rest. She moves a little to give slight more space for me. I smile noting the small affection she's giving me.

3RD PERSON POV

Alec squirmed in his place all night, not bothering to even try to close his eyes for a second. The pain was almost unbearable, but years of experience taught him that all will be better by the morning. The only thing that's wrong is how slow the ticking clock was.

Jane trying to control her breathing, she noticed the movement her brother made, and she knows he can't sleep. There's nothing more in the world she wants to do but hug and soothe him now, hoping that it would take away the pain. But she doesn't want him to worry, so she just closed her eyes. He's too in pain to notice the gleaming streaks of tear occasionally running down her cheek when he grunted in pain.

Without both knowing, both fell asleep out of exhaustion, physically and mentally, they were tired beyond what children their age should ever felt.

JANE'S POV

The smell of morning and tea hits my nose and I opened my eyelids slowly, feeling like it's weighed a ton, each. Alec was sitting on the chair sipping on them and staring at me. He smiled.

He has the most gorgeous smile in the world. And most of them was for her. I can do nothing but to return the smile, do i?

ALEC'S POV

_She has the most beautiful smile in the world._

How he love it when she smiles at him, it gives him something worth staying than running out of the house, seeking safety someplace else. But the war has torn the country. Nowhere is any safer than where they are now, and he couldn't risk her safety.

I relaxed, watching her slowly getting up and going toward the pile of clothes, I seem to forgot and lean back, he winced mentally at the pain that's suddenly reappearing from giving his back pressure. He now regret not changing his clothes when she was still sleeping. She'd see the bruises and scars now. He doesn't wanna worry her.

Jane seems to notice her brother's change of expression, quickly stand by his side and caress his face. "I'm sorry brother, where does it hurt?"

Where does it hurt? He ask himself. Well his back still feels like it's full of mini arsonists trying to burn the skin off him, and truth be told, he can't move as much, cause it hurts. And his heart leaps for this little girl, alike of him and sounding very worried.

"I'm okay, no worries" he flash her a smile, hoping it seems sincere.

_The pain was eating him alive, slowly, painfully._

"Go change and we'll have breakfast" I then say after she doesn't move for seconds. It seemed to snap her out of her trance, and she dress in a flurry.

Not wanting to be seen, he tries to do the same. Back against the wall he grab a shirt, a little dirtied but better looking than the rest on his pile. Not caring to change his pants. Well, it's his only pants.

They go down the stairs, trying to not remember last night's incident, screaming in his head. She turn left toward the kitchen, and he follows. No sight of Jared anywhere. Good, he's asleep.

He scrounge through the cabinet, looking for something to eat and found some bread, took a smell on it and decided it isn't stale. Giving Jane a piece and one for himself they seated themselves on the kitchen's island. Not bothering the seat for they're worn out and unstable.

Jared walks in the room.

Jane quivered a little, 2 years in this house has damaged her so much that she's scared at everything about it. It's not a home.

He seems to ignore the presence of his children, morning sickness have swept over his head, it's better if they stay away before anger settles in again. So he grab her wrist and tug them, signaling they should escape.

_Escape. Oh the irony. Whoever escape from their own home?_

In a swift movement they didn't know he has, or even capable of under hangover. He closed the door shut before any of them could reach to it.

Trouble.

He smile a coy smile, like he succeeded on fooling two little kids, now looking more scared than ever.

The pain on his back ache again, like a subtle reminder of what would happen. He never really beat them again in the morning, he usually still asleep or ignoring them. I don't know what would happen if the unhealed bruises got beat up again. He wince at the thought.

"Now, boy, I'm sure last night didn't go well as finished, did it?" he play with a wooden rolling pin on his right hand, twirling it like a baton. Meaning to scare the hell out of his children. They've cost him his fortune, his wife, and his unborn child. They're omens for misfortunes. He raised his hand.

Jane shrieked, afraid.

It all happens so fast. The pain only last a few seconds then I must've blacked out. The last view I saw was Jane on the corner, in balls, crying her heart out. I must've looked pretty bad then. I smiled at her for a moment then everything went black.

JANE'S POV

He smiled. Why the hell would her brother smile at times like this? Father doesn't seem to notice he slowly slipping away from consciousness, keep on beating him.

"STOP IT! CAN'T YOU SEE HE'S UNCONSCIOUS?" she managed to scream in between her sob. The view was wrecking her as much as it's wrecking him. Mentally she feels for him, she wanna reach out and protect him like he would if it's her in his position. Instead she just balled up against the corner, scared of what might happen next.

Thankfully father realized how Alec has gone unmoving, not making anymore sounds in pain. This seems to worry him a bit. "Oy you, get him up, don't you have school to go?" he addressed for particularly no one. He was looking out the window, trying to see if any neighbors have stole a glance inside the house.

She fumbled with trying to stand, trying to lift up alec's limp body off the floor, and drag him outside. A few meters from their house she placed him on the sidewalk, back against their neighbors' wooden fence, she sobbed for him, she sobbed for their lives. She sobbed for the pain they endure. She sobbed for their loss.

"wake up, wake up alec" she slowly rocks his body back and forward. His breathing is shallow, and the sight of him brings pity to anyone who took a glance. She cleans his face out of dirt and sweat covering it, then she just placed him on her lap sometimes making wishes that he'd get up soon.

ALEC'S POV

"How long?"

Finally concluded that he still can speak afterall, he asked his sister. He could tell by the moisture he feels that she has been crying. Again.

"A few minutes" she said, running her hand through his hair.

He tries to get up and slump against the fence again, it's all too much. Last night's pain is nothing compared to what he feels now.

He continue trying to control his shallowed breathing, obviously still in shock of what happened. And an idea comes to mind…


End file.
